Life & Work with Lexy Cardonne

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lexy Cardonne. 

Hi Lexy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have been an artist since I could hold a pencil and draw. As I got older, I knew in my heart I wanted to be an artist and healer, but I didn’t listen to the inner voice – instead, I listened to the external fears and pressures of other people concerned with whether or not I would be successful, and eventually convinced myself I would be a starving artist. So, for many years, I pursued my entrepreneurial and business-focused side, until I had a life crisis in my 30’s. I felt sick and exhausted, both mentally and physically, and I knew I couldn’t continue on my current path. I started drawing again, mainly to relieve stress, but I also believe it was a nudge from the Universe, reminding me of what I could potentially do if I was open to trying. My husband saw me drawing, and asked me why I wasn’t an artist, and enthusiastically encouraged me to pursue it. I told him I was concerned about being able to make a living, and he suggested tattooing. I had been offered an apprenticeship many years prior but was too afraid to pursue it. This time, I felt ready. Ten years later, I am an intuitive tattoo artist and Reiki practitioner, so I get to combine two passions into one career. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say my road has definitely had some challenges along the way. I have always been a very determined person, and when I am met with obstacles or challenges, I fight with everything I have to overcome them. I often go back to Robert Frost’s poem, The Road Not Taken, when I feel overwhelmed or stressed about something not going the way I think it should, and I remember – 

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— 

I took the one less traveled by, 

And that has made all the difference.” 

It reminds me that I have chosen a particular path that has given me so much abundance along with those challenges, which gives me the strength to keep facing them.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an intentional, intuitive tattoo artist, which means I am focused on not just creating a beautiful piece of custom tattoo art, but doing so in collaboration with the person I am working with, and reading between the lines about what that individual might need in order to receive a unique, positive and potentially healing tattoo experience. I have a very calm, warm, and inviting studio space, with lots of natural light. I also incorporate Reiki into my practice, which I strongly believe helps lessen the anxiety and fear that can be associated with the physical and mental experience of tattooing, as well as help my client manage pain. Afterwards, it can also help with faster healing and less inflammation. 

In my experience, many people that come to my studio have experienced trauma, and their tattoo can represent that trauma in different ways – as memorial or remembrance pieces, or as celebration or triumph over that trauma. I hold space for the expression of those emotions, and it creates a beautiful, connective experience. Additionally, I will also start incorporating areola reconstruction as part of my practice – this particular type of tattooing strongly aligns with the intentions of my work. 

What do you think about luck?
I do not like to think in terms of good or bad luck – it makes it seem that someone may not be entitled to abundance due to a force of nature or something out of their control. I focus more on manifestation, and energy flowing where attention goes. When I started working on what I could control and started really believing that good things would happen to me and for me, because I deserve that (and everyone deserves that!), my life changed, and I find that I have a tremendous amount in my life to be grateful for, and things happen for me that I have manifested. When I do have challenges, they have become easier to overcome.

Contact Info:

• Email: liquidcolorstudio@gmail.com
• Website: www.liquidcolorstudio.com
• Instagram: @liquidcolorstudio
• Facebook: @liquidcolorstudio

Image Credits
Dan Cardonne
Lexy Cardonne